The Hostage
by omalleyanatomy26
Summary: What if things went differently at the Library of Congress? Riley runs away from Abi and into Mitch who takes him hostage for the next clue. Spoilers from the 2 movie. CHAPTER 20! FINALLY UPDATED! PLEASE REVIEW!
1. Chapter 1

**Just a little idea I had when I watched the second movie for the second time. Yes I saw National Treasure 2 twice in the theater, is that bad:). I still can't believe I don't have the first one, I've rented it enough times I really do need to buy it by now lol.**

**Oh and Mitch Booth doesn't have the letter from the Queen in this fic so he doesn't have the next clue, only Ben does **

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Abigail and Riley hurried down below the Library of Congress while Ben stayed behind quickly snapping the picture of page 47 as well as shoving the book back in it's secretive place.

"We're so going to jail, we're so going to jail." Riley muttered. "Kidnapping the President of the United States, what were we thinking?"

"Riley well you shut up?" Abigail demanded and scanned the downstaires. There were two doors. She pointed to the one at the far end.

"You go that way and I'll go to the other door. Once Ben and I get into the car we'll come get you. You'll be less noticable if you're on foot and seperated from the rest of us."

Riley glanced at the doors.

"Good idea." He nodded to her and they hurried off into a seperate situation. As he hurried into the streets of Washington D.C and headed towards a corner he all of a sudden felt a gun against his back. He froze as he heard an unfortunatily familiar voice.

"Hello Mr. Poole." Mitch's voice spoke clearly, softly, and calmly. "Going somewhere?"

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Ben ran in front of the car as Abi started it causing her to scream. 

"It's all right, it's just me. Just me." Ben answered breathlessly as he got in and looked around. "Where's Riley?"

"We took seperate doors, he's on the other side waiting for us." Abigail answered quickly and he nodded.

"Then I suggest we pick him up and get out of here as fast as we can."

Abigail sped around the Library to the other side where Riley had been waiting for them before he got snatched up by Mitch.

"Where is he?!" Cried Abigail. "He better not be going back to take another look at that book." She added. Something inside of Ben didn't feel quiet right though. He knew something wasn't right, he just couldn't place it.

He grabbed his cell phone and quickly dialed Riley's number.

"Pick up Riley, pick up." He muttered.

Suddenly someone did pick it up but not someone he expected.

"Hello Benjamine." Mitch's voice answered. "I believe you have something I want and I have something you want."

Ben froze in the car and stared at Abigail. Things were about to go into a drastically different situation, one he wasn't prepared for at all...

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**Sorry for such a short chapter but I'll try to update quickly like I'm doing with my other National Treasure movie. **


	2. Chapter 2

**Wow 10 reviews for the first chapter! I guess I better continue!**

**Sorry for getting Mitch's last name wrong!**

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Ben could barely respond as he was still in shock that someone would go so far as to kidnap a human being just to find a treasure, no matter how great it was. 

"Mitch, where's Riley?" He snapped causing Abigail to glance at him sharply, a slowly sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach as she too realized what just happened.

"He's all right for now." Mitch replied. "And he well be as long as you cooperate."

"Let him go Mitch. This isn't worth a human life." Ben tried helplessly to reason with Wilkenson.

"I beg to differ Benjamin. This treasure well help untaint my families name just as well as it would clear your families name."

"I want to speak with Riley." Was Ben's only curt response. Mitch sighed.

"Very well." In the car Mitch handed the phone to Riley who's lip was already bleeding by the swift blows Booth's men gave him as he was shoved in the car.

"Riley?" He heard Ben's voice through the static of the cell phone.

"Hey Ben." Riley said sheepishly.

"Are you all right?" Ben asked quickly.

"Other then a bloody lip and two guns pointing at me I'm fine, how are you?" Riley replied casually.

Ben cursed, uttering words Riley and Abigail rarely heard him use.

"Just hang in there Riley, I'm going to get you out of this." He promised and as Riley opened his mouth Mitch snatched the phone away.

"There, you have your proof that Riley is alive and fine, for now." He snapped. "Now I know you found the next tablet. I want it."

"I don't know what you're talking about." Ben bluffed and Mitch sighed.

"I heard that you're a terrible liar, and the people who said that was right."

He nodded to his two followers and one of them slammed their gun into Riley's ribs. Riley groaned softly but was determined not to yell out in pain. Awhere of this Mitch nodded to the men and once more they slammed their guns and fists harder and harder into his stomach and ribs until finally he yelled out in pain as blood spluttered from his mouth.

"Goddadmn you Mitch!" Ben shouted as he heard Riley yell. Abigail closed her eyes for she too had heard the yelling in the distance. "All right! I have a picture of the tablet but not the tablet itself."

"Better, and of course I'm going to need someone to transalate it." Mitch remarked. "I know you know mother knows how. Your father called her while you were at the Library of Congress. That's how I knew where you were."

"You bugged his phone when he was attacked." Ben whispered and Mitch's lips curled into a smile.

"Well done, Ben. Bravo. I suggest you go and ask your mother for help of the next translation."

"She'll never agree to do it." Ben retorted, trying to buy whatever time he could.

"She will if your best friend's life is in danger and plus we know where she works now and where she lives. We're just asking nicely..."

"All right! All right, we'll go to her office right now."

Mitch smiled.

"Good. And Benjamin, no slip ups this time. Call Riley's phone as soon as you have something. If you are unable to tranlsate it in the next 12 hours another one of your friend's fingers will be broken as a start..."

"Another one?" Ben frowned.

"Yes, after this one." He nodded to one of the men and quickly the man grabbed Riley's finger next to his thumb and before Riley had a chance to fight him off the finger was snapped and twisted causing Riley to yell in the shock and pain.

"Damn it, all right-you have my attention. I swear to God Mitch, if you lay one more hand on him..." Ben threatened, a sickening feeling piling at the core of his stomach.

"You're not in the bargaining position. After 12 hours if you don't have the translation complete I will have one of his fingers broken every minute until there are non left to break, then one of my men well cut off one of his hands and ship it to you as a present." Riley gulped at the threats. His hands were very important to him. Without them he couldn't do any of the stuff on the computer that he was able to do now and he had a feeling Mitch Wilkenson knew that.

"You're sick Mitch." Ben answered finally his face growing paler by the threats.

"Not sick, just impatient and precise. I want things done when I want them done, on my time, and I want them done right. You have 12 hours." Mitch quickly hung Riley's phone up and Ben just stared at Abigail, feeling sicker by the minute.

"Where to Ben?" Abi asked, her mind purely on Riley now.

"To my mothers office." Ben sighed and both lapsed into silence as Abigail sped down the road as fast as she could while Ben prayed that they'd be able to rescue Riley before it was too late...

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**Please review!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Thanks for all the reviews! They make my day everytime.**

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Riley groaned softly as he held his hand tenderly in the back seat. He licked his lips for he could still taste his blood. When he agreed to do another treasure hunt with Ben this wasn't exactly what he had in mind.

"I'm sorry you had to get dragged into this Mr. Poole." Mitch called from the front seat as he turned around. "I really am."

"Sorry enough to let me go?" Riley tested him but Mitch ignored that comment.

"I wish we met differently. Benjamin and I are both after the same thing, to clear our familie's name. The only difference is that I'm willing to go the extra mile to change it. My families gone far too long as the relatives of the person who killed President Lincoln. It is time that we were remembered for something else, so again I am sorry but this had to be done. There is no other way."

Riley stared at him darkly.

"Does this help you sleep at night?" Was his smart quick witted retort and just as quickly as he spoke one of the men slammed his gun into Riley's already broken ribs causing Riley to grimace tightly. Mitch raised his hand for the man to stop.

"That's enough." He said sternly. "We still need him whole and healthy. Gates will never cooperate with us if we do any perminate damage to him."

"Like breaking my fingers?" Riley gritted his teeth in pain as he spoke.

"That's different, that's motivation. I find that it isn't just the fear of pain that's a great motivater. It's the fear of the pain those closest to you will have that's the key to cooperation."

"Sounds like you've had a lot of experience in that era." Riley replied causing Mitch to smile.

"Some." He sighed. "This isn't fair to you Mr. Poole, I realize that. So this can go as hard or as smoothly as you want it to go. In fact it can go faster if you help us out."

Riley stared at him.

"I get it. For a moment I thought you turned to Mr. Nice Guy. Instead this is again about motivation right?"

Mitch smiled.

"Yes, though I do feel sorry we had to go to these lengths to get things done."

"Right, that's what the killer says after he slaughters a family." Riley snorted.

Mitch sighed.

"It was only a suggestion." He replied.

Riley showed him his hand.

"Well even if I wanted to it'll be fairly hard to help if you continue to break all my fingers." He remarked.

Mitch stared at him.

"True, but we haven't broken them all yet. I was only asking nicely Mr. Poole."

"Yeah, and what motivation do you have for me helping you?" Was Riley's sharp and harsh retort.

Mitch nodded to one of his men who handed him a video player. Mitch opened it and handed it to Riley who stared at it in shock. There sat a women and a little girl no more then 4 years old in a room.

_"Riley? I'm so sorry."_ The women was saying and looked down at the little girl who was crying in fear more then anything else. _"Please though... Please come get us, please whatever you do just make sure she's safe. Just get this little angel out of here...Please..."_

Mitch smiled as Riley watched in horrified shock.

"Like I said, the fear of pain those closest to you will experience is a great motivater." He stared at Riley who was still staring at the video in deep shock. "So what was that answer again?" He asked with a smile saying he already knew the answer even before he asked it...

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**Hehe, evil cliffhanger I know. But if you want more you'll have to ask for it! Cliffies are great ways to get reviews :)**


	4. Chapter 4

**Wow, thanks for all the reviews! They make my day everytime :)**

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Riley stared at Mitch with pure hatred burning in his eyes.

"This has gone too far Mitch." He spat. "Let my sister and her daughter go."

"You know, you really aren't in the place to make threats Mr. Riley." Mitch sighed. "They'll be fine as long as you help us with the process of finding where the City of Gold is. I'm sure Ben will understand your reason for betrayel."

"They have nothing to do with this!" Riley shouted. "They're innocent damn you!" He closed his eyes. He was the big brother here. For as long as he could remember he tried to keep his sister out of harms way. Though they were only a year apart he was still very protective of her and her daughter Erin was really more like a daughter of his own rather then a niece. He had done everything he could to protect them by keeping distance whenever he was on another crazy treasure hunt with Ben and now because of him his sister and her daughter were captured. It was all his fault. As always everything was Riley's fault.

"The clock is ticking Mr. Poole. They only have a few hours more to survive before I consider them worthless. It's your decision on whether or not you go home ot a dead sister and a dead niece."

"I can't betray Ben...I just can't." Riley whispered while staring at the frozen picture of Sarah and Erin.

Mitch sighed.

"Very well," He picked up the phone. "I guess they are pretty worthless to me alive then."

"Wait, you can't do that! You need them." Riley quickly said, his eyes widened at the new threat.

"I don't need them if you still refuse to help even though you know they are in danger." Mitch reasoned.

"Just give me some time to think about it, please!" Riley begged, a sinking feeling filled the pit of his stomach. Could he really betray Ben? Could he really work with his best friend's enemey?

"Don't think of it as betraying Gates." Mitch finally replied as if sensing his thoughts. "Just think of it as trying to keep your family alive." He nodded to the phone. "One button is all that it takes to end both of their lives forever."

Riley stared at his sister and his niece one last time before finally nodded, his face ghost white.

"All right you sonofabitch." He whispered. "I'll do it..."I'll do it."

Mitch smiled.

"There you go Mr. Poole. I knew you had it in you to do that right thing." With that he turned back to face the front as they headed to a destination unknown to Riley as his mind was purely on what Ben's reaction would be once he finds out Riley betrayed them.

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"Mom,. please well you translate this?" Ben asked urgently as he, Patrick Gates and Abigail were in her office.

"No! You're after the City of Gold, I'm not going to help you on another one of your stupid treasure hunts!" Emily snapped as she folded her papers.

"Mom please, Mitch has Riley."

Patrick's eyes widened at that. He had driven a seperate car and had not known anything on what just happened between Mitch and Ben.

"Mitch took Riley?" He asked sharply and Ben nodded helplessly. "Emily, you have to help Ben." Patrick said urgently. "A life depends on it."

"What? Who's Riley?" Emily cried out in frustation and confusion.

"Riley didn't come in the last time we came here." Abigail whispered to Ben who was still staring pleadingly at his mother.

"Riley's my best friend, the closest thing I have to a brother." Ben finally answered. "Please mom, I can't lose him."

Emily stared at him, a bit taken aback by her son's response.

"All right." She finally answered softly. "I mean, of course I will. Why didn't you mention this before? Just give me the tablet."

"This is all we have." Ben apoligized as he handed her the picture and she nodded, already invovled in her newest project.

"This will do." She murmured, her mind clearly on only the language now.

As she worked at the transelation Ben paced back and forth with his mind only on Riley's safety completly unawhere of the side Riley decided to join...

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**Short I know but I'll update really soon, I promise! **


	5. Chapter 5

**Thanks for all the great review!****

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"I don't understand though." Riley said as he opened up the laptop they had in front of him. "Why do you need my help? Don't you just need the translation?"

"Do you think the translation is the last of the clues?" Laughed Mitch. "If you do you really are niave." He handed Riley some folded bits of paper. "Careful, they are very old." He added.

Riley slowly opened them and stared in amazment.

"This looks like the handwriting from Booth's diary!" He exclaimed and Mitch clapped.

"Bravo, you catch on fast. They are a bunch of letters and numbers to me but rumor has it you are somewhat of an expert and decoding codes."

"As long as they aren't in ancient Incan then yes, I am." Riley admitted with a small hint of pride and Mitch nodded.

"Then that's exactly why we need you. Oh and if you need help don't worry. I've recruted someone else who is a rather an expert at treasure hunting himself. I had to get him released from jail earlier then his parole but it was worth it with the knowledge he has not just with history but with Benjamin Gates as well."

Riley looked up catiously from the laptop.

"Who is it?"

"Ian Howe." Mitch replied. "I take it by the look on your face you know him also?" He added with a knowing smile as Riley silently groaned. This was about to get a lot more complicated then it was originally supposed to be, as if kidnapping the presendent wasn't enough now Ian was in on this hunt. Great, just great. He sighed-silently wishing and silently plotting a way to contact and warn Ben before it was too late.

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Ben contined to pace the room restlessly, feeling helpless which was something he hated to feel.

"Mom, do you have anything yet?" He asked impatiently.

"I'm sorry honey, but these letters are so small and jumbled they are hard to read and the pressure doesn't help." Emily sighed and then glared at Patrick. "Why is it whenever you get into one of your crazy hunts someone always gets into danger?" She snapped and Patrick's eyes widened in disbalief.

"I don't believe this! Mitch is the one who has captured Riley and she _still _has managed to find a way to blame me. Unbelievable!"

"No you are unbelievable. Everything was fine and perfectly normal until you walked into my life again. And now someone is being held hostage and people are still chasing you and trying to taint your family's name. I can't believe I ever married you." Emily sighed causing Patrick to open his mouth again and before Abi and Ben knew it both were yelling at each other.

"Mom!" Ben shouted suddenly, "Dad! Will you PLEASE both just SHUT UP!" He finally yelled causing them each to stop in shock more then anything else. "Sorry." He mumbled, slightly sheepish by what just happened. "That was uncalled for...it's just that...Riley's life is on the line. We don't have time for arguments."

"He's right you know." Patrick nodded and pointed his finger at his son in agreement.

"Oh so now this is _my _fault?" Emily demanded dangerously.

"You're the one who started it didn't you?" Patrick shot back.

"Mom. dad!" Ben warned and they quickly lapsed into silence. He collapsed onto the sofa and rubbed his forehead. "Maybe we should just exchange you two for Riley and have you guys annoy Mitch to death with your constant bickering." He added sarcastically causing Abigail to smile slightly as she sat down next to him.

"Riley's going to be all right Ben." She rubbed his hand tenderly. "I know it."

"How? He didn't contanct you did he?" Was all Ben would say.

Abigail shook her head.

"No, he hasn't."

"Then how do you know?"

"I just do." Abi smiled. "Everything's going to work out Ben. Everything always does."

"They better." Sighed Ben as he stood up. "Because I can't lose Riley Abi. I just can't. I'm responsible for him. If anything happens to him it's my fault. It's on my head and I don't think I can live with that."

"I know, I understand truly I do but losing it won't help Riley." Abi rubbed Ben's shoulder but he jerked it away.

"Not now Abi." He said quietly. "I just need to be alone."

"Of course, I understand." Abigail whispered softly and watched him stalk out of the room wondering if anything would be the same ever again...

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**Please review!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Thanks for all the great reviews! I'm begining to need them like one needs oxygen :)

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Riley groaned silently as he thought of Ian joining Mitch's group. This just kept on getting better and better. Finally they pulled in front of a building.

"I apoligze for what's about to happend next." Mitch said calmly as he turned around.

"What's going to happen?" Riley asked nervously and Mitch nodded to his guard behind Riley who hit Riley hard over the head with his gun knocking Riley unconscience.

"For that, after all I can't let you see where we are now can I?" Mitch smiled as his men opened the door to drag Riley out. Then they dragged their prisoner into an old abandoned warehouse where Ian stood waiting for them. His lips curled into a wide smile when he saw Riley Poole tied up and being dragged onto the floor.

"I believe you two know each other?" Mitch asked as they tied Riley to a chair nearby while Riley's head hung limply to his chest. Ian laughed.

"Unfortunatily yes. That little pipsqueak was one of the most annoying people I had to work with. There were days where I dreamed of beating the crap out of him just to shut him up."

"Well now your dreams might just come true." Mitch smiled. "I'll leave you alone with him. I'm sure you'll be able to persuade him to get the job done faster then I could."

A glint of joy flashed in Ian's mind at the thought of finally having Riley Poole all to himself to do what he pleased with. He chuckled.

"I'm sure I can too." He replied. A frown escaped Mitch's mind as he glanced at Riley, unsure of whether he liked the idea of Ian alone with the young man. Quickly he shoved that concerned thought out of his head as he walked away. Motiviation that's all it was, he told himself. Motiviation. After all, this was just buisness. Right?

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"Riley...Riley..." A voice called to Riley softly as he felt his hair being pulled while Ian lifted his head and slapped his cheeks. He groaned. "Riley...Wake up!" 

Riley snapped awake and stared in horror at Ian Howe.

"Long time no see right?" Ian grinned as Riley jerked on his chair. He realized then that his feet was dunked in cold water in a bucket. Ian looked down at the feet as well and grinned.

"Mitch thinks I'll be able to persuade you to work quickly instead of trying to make things last as long as they can. I think I will be able to also." Riley's face drained white as Ian dangled two electrical wires tauntingly in front of him.

"Ready for a little shocking fun?" Ian asked as he touched the to wires together causing sparks to fly and it was then that Riley realized his shirt was torn open. He clentched his teeth as the wires came towards him...

On the other side of the room Mitch quickly turned up the music as he read in order to drown out Riley Poole's screams...

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**Ack, poor Riley! I just love torturing him :) The only way to find out what happens next however is to ask!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Thanks for all the great reviews!**

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Riley sat helplessly on the chair with his chest stinging like crazy as Ian put away the torturing devices.

"He'll be much more cooperative now." He told Mitch who came in. Mitch nodded.

"It's time to call Gates." He said while Riley tried to catch his breath.

Mitch dialed Gates number.

Ben picked up instantly.

"Mitch?"

"Do you have the translation?" Was all Welkenson said.

"Yeah, I do." Ben quickly told him as Mitch wrote it down while nodding.

"You were very wise to cooperate Ben. I'm proud of you."

"Now give us Riley." Ben snapped, anxious for this to be over. Mitch chuckled.

"Oh no, not so fast."

"But that was our arrangment!"

"Yes, well the arrangment has changed. Riley has decided to work for us now, haven't you Riley?" Mitch placed the phone on Riley's ear as Ben stood frozen in shock.

"Ben?" Riley asked and Ben's eyes widened in relief when he heard his best friend's voice.

"Riley, what the hell is he talking about?"

"Ben I'm sorry. I have no other choice, I can't go now... I hope you understand..." Riley's voice was shaking now.

"Wait, I don't understand. You're working for them now?" Ben cried in outrage causing Abi's eyes to widen as well as his parents eyes. "Why?"

"I have to Ben, I'm sorry. I have no other choice!"

"There's _always _a choice Riley!" Ben snapped. "Always a choice to do the right thing..I can't believe that you would..."

"They have my sister Ben. And her daughter. I _have no choice." _Riley persisted with tears in his eyes. This was the hardest thing he had to do. Betraying his best friend. "Please Ben...Please, try and understand..."

"They have your sister?" Ben looked shocked. "I didn't even know you _had _a sister."

This was so overwhelming. Riley working for them now and finding out about a sister he had and niece.

"Well I do. And they have her and my niece, Ben...Please you have to..." Before Riley was able to finish what he was saying Mitch snatched the phone away.

"So you see Ben, handing Mr. Poole back now would be very pointless, wouldn't it?"

"You sonofabitch." Ben snarled, letting the news sink in on _why _Riley had agreed to work for them. "You're sick you know that? You are sick and twisted."

Mitch tisked.

"Not a smart thing to say when we still have your best friend in the hands of Ian Howe now is it?"

Ben's face went white.

"Ian..."

Mitch handed the phone to Ian.

"I think Ben wants to talk to you." He said while smiling and Ian's lips curled into a smile as well.

"Ben, my old friend! How are you mate?"

"Ian." Ben turned around sharply as Abi gasped in horror. "What the hell are you doing out of jail?"

"Well thanks to Mr. Welkenson here I got out early and now me and Riley are having a _shocking _amount of fun aren't we Ri?"

Riley glared at Howe.

"Go to hell." Ben heard him snarl.

Ian gave a low and threatening chuckle.

"Now is that a nice thing to say to your captives Riley?" He asked while nodding to the two men in the room. Instantly they slammed their guns into Riley's broken ribs causing him to groan while Ian broke two more of Riley's fingers.

"Oops, I hope your not left handed." He grinned as Riley yelled in sharp pain.

"Ian I swear to God, if you hurt Riley any more I'll..." Ben snarled, his face growing paler at Riley's screams.

"You'll _what _Ben?" Ian taunted him. "Toss me in jail? That didn't work out very well the last time now did it? I _always _get what I want Ben, don't forget that. And what I want now is revenge which is why it's so fun to have Mr. Poole around."

Ben collapsed on his chair, exhausted with worry and fear.

"Please, Ian." He begged. "If you have _any _ounce of deceny left in you...Please.."

"Since when have I ever been a decent man Gates?" Ian chuckled. "Don't worry, I'll take good care of little Riley for you while he helps us find the treasure."

"Ian wait, please... Ian!" Ben shouted as the phone was handed back to Mitch.

"Damn you Mitch! This wasn't part of the deal, what are we supposed to do now?"

"Just stand aside and wait. When this hunt is over Mr. Poole will be brought back to you."

Ben just sat there. This was all happening so fast. _To _fast. They had done their part of the deal and yet Riley still wasn't back with them. In fact, it was worse now that Ian was part of the group. He could only imagine the type of torture that he had confliced on Riley. It made him sick just _thinking _about it.

Mitch quickly hung up the phone after Ben promised not to look for the treasure. When the phone was hung up Ben stood up, put his coat on and headed towards the door in angry strides.

"Ben, wait where are you going?!" Abi cried helplessly. Ben stared at her, his face full of anger now instead of fear.

"I'm going to find Riley's sister and her daughter." He snapped. "Then I'm going to get Riley."

Abi stared at him for a few moments and nodded.

"Fine, I'm coming with you."

"So are we!" Emily and Patrick said at the same time, not daring to look at each other.

"Forget it guys, it's too dangerous."

"Riley isn't just important to you. He's important to me too Ben. He's important to all of us."

"I never met the young man but already I like him." Emily agreed. Ben looked at all them uncertiantly.

"You're not alone Ben, so don't do this like you were." Abi added. Slowly Ben sucked in his breath and finally nodded.

"All right, let's go." He said quietly and quickly they all hurried to the car...


	8. Chapter 8

**Thanks for all the great reviews!**

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Riley closed his eyes as Mitch hung the phone up. That was one of the hardest things he had to do. Telling Ben that he was working for _them_.

"I suggest you get to deciphering the clues left on the translation." Mitch thrust the paper to his lap as well as a laptop.

"It's a little hard to type with three broken fingers." Riley said through gritted teeth. Mitch chuckled.

"I'm sure you'll manage."

"Oh please, can't I have some more fun with him first?" Ian begged with an evil glint in his eyes. "Why you intturrupted me right when I was getting to the good stuff."

Riley froze in his chair while the men uncuffed his arms but not his legs. Being left alone with Ian again would be...he shuddered at the thought. Mitch shook his head.

"Later." He replied. "Something to look forward too." He added with a grin. Ian sighed.

"Fine, I suppose we _should _let the wounds rest." He remarked, annoyed about not getting his way though.

Slowly Ian and Mitch left and all that was there was a body card leaving him to do his work.

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Ben slowly drove up to Riley's place, feeling uneasy about going into his friend's apartment without Riley. But since he didn't know where Riley's folks lived he knew of no other way to find where Riley's sister used to live. He hurried inside and filed through the mail quickly, still feeling guilty. There was finally a letter from his sister, a birthday card. Ben grimicaed as he reliezed that because of the action packed days he had forgotten that Riley's birthday was a few days ago. What kind of friend was he and why didn't Riley say anything? Well, it _was_ kind of hard to mention your birthday during a car chase in Britian.

He skimmed the letter, not wanting to invade Riley's privacy until he found her name. Sarah. Then he looked at the address. Good, the lived near there. Perhaps her apartment would show signs of where she and her daughter were taken. Quickly he hurried out of the apartment with only one thing on his mind, to get Riley back.

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Riley had remembered his hair clip in that he had always worn. He hated his bangs and yet refused to get them cut after the last horrible hair cutting experience he had. When the guard wasn't looking he quickly fished the clip out and with his broken hand he lowered it to the cuffs on his feet while he quickly worked on the laptop. He froze when the guard glanced at him and grinned. The guard rolled his eyes, sat down and grabbed a newspaper to read.

Finally after a few minutes the cuff was off him. Without wasting time he lurched forward to attack the guard who stood up in surprise and swung him to the floor. Because of the commotion Mitch and Ian hurried back into the room.

"He tried to escape." The guard growled as he kicked Riley hard in the ribs. A favorite place apparently for the guards to kick. Mitch shook his head and took the gun from the guard.

"That wasn't very good of you Riley. What were you thinking?" He shook his head. "Oh well." He sighed. "You could have been a great assisent, I guess we'll never know well we?" Riley gulped and knew it was useless to beg. Mitch needed him yes but now he had the translation it wasn't as dire anymore. Mitch could find another code breaker expert if he had to. Riley covered his face in preperation.

"Allow me." Ian grinned. "I've been wanting to do this since The Charlotte." With that he grabbed the gun and raised it and as Riley closed his eyes he heard the gunshot...


	9. Chapter 9

**Thanks for all the great reviews!**

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Riley yelled in sharp pain as a bullet hit him sharply in the ankle. He opened his eyes, shocked. He thought for sure he was a goner. Ian grinnned.

"That felt good! Can I shoot him again?"

"Another time perhaps, if he tries to run again." Mitch said as he took the gun from him. "I think you'll find it very difficult to walk now Riley, let alone run. But if you try again I won't hesitate to order Ian to aim higher."

"What, you can't do it yourself?" Riley asked while gritting his teeth in sheer pain.

"Oh I could. I've killed before. It's just that Ian has a personal score to settle with you and Gates. Why should I deprive him of that?" He nodded to the guard.

"Cuff him to the chair again. Make sure the handcuffs are tight around his ankle, where the wound is for a reminder. And if it's just you in the room if he tries to escape again don't hesitate to shoot."

The guard grinned and flung Riley to his chair and put the handcuffs directly over his wound causing Riley to cry out in pain.

"Now I suggest you get to work." Sneered Ian as he thrust the computure towards Riley. "Before I change my mind and ignore Mitch and shoot your sorry little ass."

Gasping for breath Riley quickly opened the laptop. Well, he wasn't going to try _that _again. He brightened though as he stared at the computer. An idea was forming causing him to smile. They were really stupid to give a computer genuise a computer to work with now weren't they?

* * *

**Sorry that was so short but in my defense I wrote TWO chapters today so there lol. **


	10. Chapter 10

**Thanks for the reviews!**

* * *

Ryan Poole settled down into his office during a break from a long hour of surgery. Sighing he opened his laptop in hopes for a few moments of relaxation. No such luck. A blinking message filled the screen as he opened it.

To others it would have been written in gibberish but he knew that code well. It was something he and his little brother Riley made up to communicate when Ryan moved away. Sucking his breath he quickly broke the code, his face growing paler and paler at the minute. His little brother was being held hostage as well as Sarah and Erin. He cursed silently as he accused himself of not paying closer attention to Riley. Riley always did need looking after more then Sarah did, especially when they were kids.

Quickly he wrote down the number Riley had told him to call, saying it was Ben Gate's number.

'So much for his coffee break' he thought as he dialed Gate's number.

"Hello?" Ben snatched open the phone as he sped down the highway in hopes that Mitch had changed his name but instead all he got was a stranger's voice.

"Benjamin Gates?"

"Yeah, who's this?" Ben asked sharply, his mind not in the mood for games from tellemarketers or other people like them."

"This is Dr. Ryan Poole. I just got an interesting message from my little brother, Riley. It seems like he's in trouble, care to elaberate on that?"

Ben just sat there letting the knew news sink in. Riley had a brother _also_?

"Where are you at?" He decided to say, his mind burning with questions. How the hell did Riley get into contact with him and why hadn't Riley mentioned this Ryan before?

Ryan told Gates the address to his hospital.

"I'll be there in 15 minutes." Ben promised and quickly hung up the phone. Abi looked at him eagerly.

"Was that Riley?"

He shook his head.

"Nope, Riley's older brother Ryan actually." He couldn't wait to see the shocked look on Abi and his parent's faces when he turned around to look at them.

* * *

Riley quickly logged out of the e-mail account he managed to hack into as he went back to deciphering the code when Ian entered and glanced over the shoulder.

"How's it coming?" He asked.

"Fine." Riley stared at his computer as if it was the most fascinating thing in the world.

"How's the gunshot wound?" Ian asked curiously.

"Fine." Riley gritted his teeth in response. "I'll live." He added.

Ian gave a low chuckle.

"Not if I have anything to do about it." He said softly causing Riley to look up sharply.

"You want to say something to my face?" He demanded and Ian turned sharply.

"You're getting pretty bold for a hostage." He sneered threatingingly causing Riley to pale a bit.

Ian loomed over Riley with an evil glint in his eyes causing Riley instant regret what he had just said, in fact he was starting to wish he was never born...

* * *

**Yeah short I know but I promise to update really fast to make up for it!**


	11. Chapter 11

**Thanks for all the great review!**

* * *

Mitch opened the door before Ian was able to do anything to Riley causing Riley to breath in relief. Mitch handed Ian a bottle and a handkerchief.

"What's this?" Ian looked at it in disgust.

"Chloroform. I don't want him to know where we're going." Mitch snapped in response.

"Wouldn't be easier, not to mention more fun, just to knock him out?" Ian asked with a glint in his eye-still annoyed at being inturrupted.

"We can't have him too damaged or else he won't be able to function. Chloroform is the easiest way." Mitch concluded. Riley watched nervously as he eyed the bottle. He really didn't want to blackout again but it looked like he had no choice.

Ian loomed over Riley again.

"Nighty night Mr. Poole. Hope the bedbugs bite." He chuckled as he poured the Chloroform on the cloth and before Riley knew what was happening the cloth was pressed against his nose and mouth as fumes entered his brain causing the room to spin before he passed out.

Mitch quickly ordered the two guards to carry him out of the old warehouse.

"Where are we going now?" Ian snapped, annoyance causing Mitch to glare at him. More and more he was disliking Ian but he didn't have time to deal with Howe at the moment.

"You'll find out when we get there. We can't stay in one place too long or Ben will find us."

"You're right about that." Ian muttered. "He is annoyingly smart."

Mitch was begining to realize that as well.

* * *

Finally the Gates and Abi found the hospital and went into the cafeteria to meet Ryan Poole. 

"First he has a sister, then he has a brother. What else does he have? A wife?!" Ben muttered angrily as they walked into the room.

"I'm sure he has a good reason for not telling you Ben." Abi said softly, remembering to carefully chose her words these days.

"I'm begining to feel like he doesn't trust me or something. To keep his family a secret..." Ben shrugged off her hands of comfort.

"You didn't tell him about your parents straight off."

"Yeah, but that was because I barely knew him. It's not like I kept them a secret though."

"I don't know why he didn't tell you but I'm sure he has a good reason not to." Abi replied firmly. Patrick and Emily had enough sense to stay silent through the conversation.

A man dressed in a doctors outfit and looked somewhat similar to Riley, with his hair and eyes, stood up and nodded to him.

"Ben Gates?"

"Ryan Poole?" Ben shook the man's hand as they sat.

"You're face is quiet famous around Washington D.C." Ryan smiled at Gates.

"Only up until recently. Before then Gates were known as a bunch of crazy loons."

Patrick sighed as he remembered how badly people treated their family name. Ryan smiled.

"But I take it Riley didn't treat you like a crazy loon?"

"No surprisingly he didn't." Ben straightened up on his seat. "Maybe that's because _he _was considered one even more so then me."

Ryan chuckled at that.

"Yes, Riley never was very popular." He agreed. "People never got past that nerd image."

"We did." Abi said quietly and Ryan looked at her, rather startled by that comment and then smiled.

"Yes, so I've heard. You're all very important to Riley. I hope you know that."

"Oh so he talks to you about us does he?" Ben asked with interest causing Abi to look at him cautiously.

"Yes, in the past he has mentioned you quiet a few times during our phone conversations."

"Funny I really wish I could say the same thing." Ben retorted causing Emily to gasp someone. Ryan sighed.

"I'm sure Riley as a reason for not mentioning his family. We're pretty protective with each other."

Ben wanted to go into that more but one look at his parents and Abi shut him up.

"Look, we're here for the same thing. To get Riley back. I don't know why he was held hostage and frankly right now I don't care. I just want my little brother back."

"So do I." Ben managed to soften his tone at that.

Ryan nodded.

"Good because listen up. I have a plan. To get both Riley and Sarah, our sister, back. And I think I know where Sarah is."

Ben and Abi sat up, full attention now. So far Ryan Poole was a lot closer to finding his brother then they were...


	12. Chapter 12

**There's some much needed action in this chapter, hope you enjoy:)**

* * *

Ryan took out a laptop.

"When Riley sent me a message he also sent the video they showed him of our sister and niece. Somehow Riley found it on the computer."

"Why doesn't that surprise me?" Abi smiled and Ryan smiled in response but continued.

"He managed to zoom in on some napkins in what looks like a hotel room that they were at." Ben, his parents, and Abi scooted their way to see the laptop as he pointed to the screen.

"JW Marriot Hotel." Whispered Emily. "Remember when we stayed there Patrick?"

Patrick nodded, his mind still focused on the screen.

"That's on Pennsylvania Avenue." Ben smiled his first smile in days. Ryan nodded.

"And look even more closely." He zoomed in on the table with the napkins in the corner.

"I guess computer genius runs in the family?" Patrick mused. Ryan chuckled.

"I would hardly think that zooming in on the computer is a work of a genius."

"But dad would." Ben grinned causing Patrick to grunt.

"You never were very good with machinery were you Patrick?" Emily smiled. Patrick chose not to answer her.

"Look, Ben, look!" Abi nudged Ben excitedly. There on the table was the key to the room with the number on it.

"Room 23!" They all shouted and raced to the car.

They sped towards the hotel, Ryan was the one who was driving and passed every stop sign and red light making Ben like him even more.

Ignoring the people in the lobby they rushed up the stairs and Ben started to bang on the door.

"Open up!" He shouted. One of Mitch's men opened the door accidently far enough for them to see Sara and Erin tied up on chairs in a corner.

Ben kicked the door open and grabbed the man by the collar. Aggressively he punched the man over and over in the face as the others quickly went to the hostages.

"Ryan, thank God!" Sarah hugged her brother and Erin hung onto her mother's pants, hiding herself from these new strangers.

"Ben, stop!" Abi shouted as she turned around. Ryan had already knocked the other man in the room unconscience and Ben was continued to punch the man over and over again until blood was pouring out of the man's nose and skin the anger that was bottled up inside of him for the last few days finally was able to be let out into the open.

"Benjamin!" Emily shouted but Ben paid no mind to her.

"Ryan, make him stop!" Abi pleaded. Ryan looked confused.

"Why? He deserves it."

"Where.." Ben gritted his teeth as he spoke. "Is...he...?"

"Who?" The man gasped.

"RILEY POOLE!" Ben slammed the man onto the wall and wrapped his hand around the man's neck. "I swear to GOD you better tell me where he is or I'll choke the life out of your lungs you pathetic excuse for a human being!"

"Ben, we need him alive." Ryan finally spoke, his face paling a little more as he realized the lengths that it looked like Ben was willing to go.

"Ben, please." Abi reached towards him and touched his shoulder. "He's not worth it."

Ben stared at the man who was shaking.

"She's right." He growled and dropped the man. "He's not worth it."

"At least we got some leverages." Patrick nodded to the two men.

"First we get Sarah and Erin out of here." Ryan said firmly and with everyone agreeing on that they quickly dragged the men, forcing them to walk -as the other woke up - to the van that Ryan had brought along and sped off towards his house as they planned their next move...

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**Please review!**


	13. Chapter 13

**Thanks for the great reviews! Sorry for the longish break.

* * *

**Riley groaned when he woke up, still feeling sickish from the fumes. Where was he? He shivered from the cold. It looked like someone's basement. He was still securedly tied to a chair. The more he struggled the more the ropes burned against his skin.

He groaned as he saw Ian sitting at the bottom of the staires while giving him a smile he didn't trust.

"I've been waiting for you to wake up Riley." Ian stood up.

"Why do you hate me so much?" Riley finally asked. "What did I ever do to you?"

"Nothing." Ian admitted. "You just have this...annoying childish quality that just irrates me."

"So you'll torture someone just because they irrate you?"

Ian laughed.

"I've tortured for less." Was his calm reply. He began to walk back and forth, the metal piece in his hand was making Riley extremly nervous. "You know what the traditional way to breed cattle is?" Ian asked. Riley stared blankly at him. "I'm sure you do but I'll tell you anyway, it's with this." He nodded to the piece he held in his hand. "A hot metal iron rod that was heated by an open fire. We don't have an open fire so the fireplace had to do. Now branding was very usual for the ranchers for it was a way to identify which cattle was _theirs._"

"You're comparing me to a cow?" Snapped Riley.

"No, not neccessarly. I'm just using them as an example of how one shows that a certain something belongs to them. Like you do with us now. You are our prisoner now."

"Mitch's, not yours. I doubt he'll let you have very much of that treasure of his, if any of it." Snarled Riley. Ian chuckled.

"Clever. Trying to turn us against each other are we? Well it won't work." He smiled at Riley. "But back to what I was talking about. I was thinking that if people can brand animals to show who they belong to why not the same with prisoners? I'm sure something of that nature has been done before, aren't you?"

"You're sick Ian." Was all Riley said while carefully eyeing the metal rod. Ian saw what he was eyeing and smiled.

"Yes, but I'm the one with the rod aren't I? And you're tied to a chair, completly helpless so I suggest you mind your tongue."

With that he loomed over Riley.

"I've heard it does burn the flesh right of." He smirked. "Let me know if that's true all right?" With that he carefully pressed the rod into Riley's chest, causing Riley to scream as the burning process began.

"Ian, drop that rod and stop what you're doing this instant." Said a familar voice a few minutes later. Riley was shaking as heat continued to scortch his tender flesh. Opening his eyes that had tears in them he glanced at the person who said that.

The person that spoke was holding a gun and it was someone neither Riley nor Ian ever expected it to be. It was Mitch Wilkenson himself.

* * *

**I apologize for the shortness of it, it's late lol and I'm tired. Please review anyway:)**


	14. Chapter 14

**Thanks for all the great reviews!

* * *

**

Ian smiled.

"I suggest you put that gun away Mitch." He said slowly. "If you know what's good for you."

"And if you know what's good for _you_ you'd drop that rod and not come a step closer." Mitch snarled, his fingers holding the gun tightly.

"What if I don't want to?" Ian asked. "What if I want to finish this job..you know I hate it when people inturrupt me when I'm torturing someone." He pressed the rod once more into Riley's chest causing Riley to groan and grit his teeth, determined not to give Ian the satisifaction of hearing him scream.

"Drop the rod, or I swear to God I'll shoot." Mitch snapped. "This is going to far Ian."

"Really? You didn't think so when I shot him." Ian stopped pressing the rod into the skin stepped closer. "I really don't feel right not sharing this with everyone Mitch." He remarked. "Would you like a turn also? Do you feel left out? Is that it?" He continued to walk closer.

"I'm warning you Ian..." Mitch was trying to steady his voice. "_Don't_..." Ian paid no attention to him and suddenly Riley saw Mitch fire his gun. Riley stared in shock as blood splattered onto his face as Ian collapsed with a gaping bullet in his head.

"Jesus." Riley said, his whole body shaking. He glanced at Mitch in shock. Mitch's face was grim and his hands was shaking as he put the gun away.

"I warned him." He muttered. "I warned him."

"Why..." Riley's voice trailed off. "Why..." He was to shaken to speak. It was his first time for ever seeing a person be killed cold blooded like that. Even if it was Ian it still shook him up.

"He was going to far." Mitch said simply. "Kidnapping is one thing, torturing is something else. I put up with it as long as I could cause we needed Ian's experties in this buisness. But enough is enough."

"Does that mean you're letting me go?" Riley asked hopefully.

"Sorry kid." Mitch shook his head. "I really wish I could but we need you now to make sure Ben doesn't get to the treasure first. We need you now more then ever, sense I just got word that someone rescued your sister and niece and took my men hostage. Any bets on who?"

Relief flooded Riley. His sister was safe and so was his niece. Ryan had obviously gotten his message.

Mitch sighed and rubbed his forehead. "I want this to be over as much as you do kid." He added. "The sooner we find the treasure, the sooner we can forget this ever happened. I'd have you help us but the last time we tried that you tried to escape. I'm afraid we can't risk that again."

Riley looked sheepish at that but still felt sick as he stared at Ian's cold dead face, his eyes open wide with shock, with a hole through his forehead.

As if sensing Riley's discomfort Mitch called for two of his men.

"Take care of Mr. Howe's body." He told them.

"With pleasure." One of his men smiled as they dragged the body up the staires. Finally Riley was able to breath again.

Suddenly Mitch's phone rang.

"Hm, I wonder who that could be?" Mitch asked sarcastically and picked it up. "Hello?"

"Mitch, this is Ben. I believe I have something that you want." Ben felt a small satisfication at saying that same line Mitch said back to him. Mitch sensed this but didn't say anything.

"Yes, you have two of my men."

"Give us Riley ans we'll spare them." Ben replied.

"Go ahead." Mitch shrugged. "Kill them, I don't care."

Ben faltered for a moment. He wasn't sure if he heard correctly.

"What? Are you crazy?"

"No because I know you won't kill them. It isn't in you Ben."

"I'll kill them if I have to." Ben gritted his teeth.

"Fine, Ben, do it." Challeneged Mitch. Ben grabbed a gun from Ryan, startling him and Abi, and pointed the gun to one of the men's face. The man closed his eyes tightly.

"I have the gun to your man's face Mitch, now _give _us Riley!" Ben shouted.

"Go head, pull the trigger." Mitch dared. "_Pull it _Ben."

Riley closed his eyes. He knew Ben could never kill someone coldblooded like that.

"Pull the trigger Goddamn it!" Mitch shouted but then Ben released his finger from the trigger. Silence greeted Mitch. "It's a lot harder then it looks isn't it?" Mitch asked quietly as he remembered Ian. The man in front of Ben in the mean time couldn't stop shaking.

"If he can't kill him then I can." Ryan growled, whipping the gun from Ben's face. Mitch heard that.

"Who said that?"

"Riley's brother." Ben answered quietly.

"Riley's brother?" Mitch arched his eyes to Riley who looked up.

"You don't know what _he's _capable of." Added Ben, relief flooded him to have the gun away from his hands.

"Tell him you have an hour to give us Riley back before the other one dies." Ryan shouted.

"I can hear him Ben, you don't need to translate." Mitch said quietly.

"The other one? Ryan, we don't kill unless it's necessary." Ben said, stunned.

"Well it _is _necessary. Am I the only one who still remembers my little brother being held hostage? For something that doesn't concern him at all?"

Riley was hearing everything and felt sick. He didn't want Ryan to become a killer because of him.

"Let me speak to him." He begged Mitch. "Let me speak to my brother."

Mitch stared at him.

"Ben, Riley want's to speak to Ryan."

Ben paused.

"Ryan, Riley wants to talk to you."

Ryan was shaking as he was holding the gun, the man's eyes were closed.

"Riley?" He grabbed the phone.

"Ryan."

Ryan breathed again as he heard his little brother speak.

"Thank God, Riley are you all right? What did those bastards do to you?"

"Nothing that can't be undone. Ryan I don't want you to kill those men."

"What? Why? It's the only way to get things done." Ryan protested.

"I don't want you to become a killer because of me. Please Ryan, don't just don't." Riley begged. "We'll find another way..we'll find another way."

Ryan's hands shook.

"I can't just sit back and do nothing while they're torturing you Riley! And don't say they aren't. I know these kinds of people. They won't stop at anything."

"They aren't all the same." Riley glanced at Mitch when he said that. "But please Ryan, don't pull the trigger. I don't want you or Ben or Abi killing because I'm in trouble...please don't..."

"All right." Ryan dropped the gun and the man in front of him let out his breath. "Because you don't want me to so much I won't. But I'm not giving up Ri. I'm getting you back, one way or another I'm getting my brother back."

"I believe you." Riley sighed. "Thanks Ryan."

Mitch grabbed the phone before they finished.

"I'd like to speak with Ben again." He said to Ryan who wordlessly handed Ben the phone.

"Wasn't that a touching brotherly moment?" Mitch smiled. "Because that touched me I'm going to let this one go Ben. You drop my men off where I tell you to and we'll forget this ever happened. I suggest you do what I say, for Riley's sake."

Ben stood still.

"Fine." He sighed. "Where do you want us to drop them off?"

As Mitch gave the directions to an abondoned warehouse Riley tried to control his breathing as he realized he this was probably going to last a lot longer then he thought and hoped it would. He was begining to wonder if he'd ever get out of there and if things would ever return to normal.

* * *

**Please review!**


	15. Chapter 15

**Thanks for all the great reviews!

* * *

**

Ryan sat on the bed after he hung up the phone, his entire body was shaking.

"Ryan..." Sarah sat down next to her brother. "Everything's going to be fine Ryan. We'll get Riley back."

Ryan shook his head, his eyes threatening to cry.

"No." He said softly. "Everything's _not _going to be all right. This isn't how it was supposed to work out at all Sarah."

Sarah sat thoughtfully, trying to think of something to say, when she gasped out loud. Ryan glanced at her sharply as did Ben and Abi.

"What's wrong Sarah?" Ryan asked nervously. She looked at Ryan.

"Ryan, what about Riley's health problem?"

Ryan closed his eyes.

"Goddamn it!"

"_Health _problem?!" Ben shouted in shock. "Since when did Riley have a heath problem?"

"Since he was a kid." Ryan sighed. "He has siezures from time to time, no one knows what actually causes them. He has pills to help keep them under control though. Pills that he probably left in his apartment." He shook his head miserably. "They're brought on by stress." He added and Ben closed his eyes while Abi shook her head in disabelief. Being held hostage was probably one of the most stressful situations you could be in.

"Great." Sighed Ben. "This is just what we need!_Another _problem to worry about!"

"Ben!" Snapped Abi. "Stop it, you're scaring Riley's niece."

Ben glanced at little Erin who stared at him wide eyed and fearfully as she ran to her mother and hid behind her legs.

"I'm sorry." He muttered. She rubbed his shoulders.

"I know." She said softly. "I know, but you'll get Riley back Ben. After all we got his sister and neice back right?"

Ben nodded and glanced at Erin, feeling guilty for frightening a child that had already been through so much. He knelt next to her.

"Hi, what's your name?"

Erin glanced at her mother uncertiantly. Sarah smiled at her.

"Erin." Her voice was so soft Ben could barely hear her.

"I'm Ben. I'm a good friend of your Uncle Riley's."

Erin's face lit up at Riley's name.

"You know Uncle Riley?" She asked eagerly.

"Yes I do."

"When is he coming to see me?" Erin put out her lower lip and pouted. "He said he'd visit really soon." She added.

"And he will, I'm making sure of that. He's just a little...busy right now. Say my mother's out in the livingroom and she knows how to make a really good ice cream shake. Does that sound good to you?"

Erin bobbed her little head eagerly up and down. Ben took her hand gently towards his livingroom where his parents were at knowing that at least his mother would be better with kids then him.

"He's good with the children." Sarah remarked to Abi when he left. Abi smiled.

"That's something that's actually surprising about him. I didn't think he would be." Her whole face was beaming as she looked at her stomach. "But I'm sure glad he is." She added softly with a hint of a knowing smile growing.

* * *

Mitch paced back and forth, uncertain on what to do. He didn't want Riley hurt. He had unfortunatly grown rather fond of the kid. But on the other hand he needed him. He needed this treasure to untaint his families name. It was hell for him going through life with a name that everyone knew as the pereson who killed one of America's greatest presidents.

"Kid look..." He turned around and his eyes widened with shock as he saw Riley's whole body convulsed into violent shakes. Mitch watched in horror as Riley's head was thrown backwards and he saw that his eyes had also rolled back as the kid jerked on the chair. There was only one thing that this could mean. Riley was having a seizure. And a big one.


	16. Chapter 16

**Thanks for the reviews!

* * *

**

Mitch's face went white. He knew what Riley was having but he wasn't sure how he could stop it. He couldn't very well take Riley to the hospital. They'd ask to many questions. But he needed the kid alive. He quickly untied Riley and rolled him over on the side while placing the nearest soft object he had, a blanket, under his head. He saw some blue tinge coming from Riley's mouth.

"Damn it." He cursed as he made sure no sharp objects were nearby. He didn't need this now.

Finally Riley remained still. Mitch stared at him, his whole body shaking. He had never seen people have seizures before.

Riley's eyes remained closed.

"Riley?" He asked softly. "Kid?" He wasn't sure if he should wake him. He noticed that the breathing had returned to normal. He knew he couldn't keep the kid here by himself but he couldn't tie him up in this condition either. Slowly he scooped Riley up and headed upstaires. Ignoring his mens confused stares he put the kid gently onto the livingroom couch. Riley moaned softly, his head rolling to his sighed.

Mitch stared at him.

"You two can leave." He told his men. "I'll be here until he wakes him."

"You growing soft on us or something Booth?" One of them growled. "One moment you killed Howe and the next your coddiling our hostage like he's your son."

Mitch rose.

"I said you could leave." His voice changed to a dangerous level. "I killed once, who's to say I won't again?"

The two men looked at each other and quickly dissapeared.

Mitch sighed and waited for the kid to wake up, unsure of what to do next.

* * *

Ben paced back and forth, his face paling at the thought of Riley's seizures. Abi walked into the room.

"You were great with Erin." She said softly. He shrugged.

"Least I could do for Riley." He sat down on a bed. "I'm begining to think I'm never going to get him back."

She hugged him.

"Don't say that." She scolded gently. "You can't think like that, you have to be positive."

"What's there to be positive about?" He said helplessly. "With my best friend, who's more like a brother, taken hostage because of some goddamned treasure!"

Abi sat down next to him and took his hand.

"I can think of one thing to be positive about." She whispered and Ben looked at her.

"Well I'm dying to know."

She smiled and looked at her stomach.

"You know that night of our six month anniversery?"

He nodded.

"How could I forget?" He allowed himself a tiny smile.

"Well..." She said slowly. "Something more happened that night then just our anniversery."

He stared at her.

"You mean..."

She nodded, smiling. She wasn't sure if she should bring it up now but it looked like Ben needed cheering up.

"Yes...I'm pregnant. You're going to be a father."

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**I know, short but the next ones will be longer I promise!**


	17. Chapter 17

**Thanks for all the great reviews!

* * *

**

Riley woke, exhaustion filled him. Where was he? He wasn't tied to a chair anymore. He goraned softly. Suddenly he realized that the bullet wound on his ankle was bandaged. And he was laying on a couch. Was he finally recused? He rolled his head over and saw Mitch staring at him. He groaned again, nope. That would have been to good to be true. He sat up.

"What happened?" He asked softly.

"You didn't tell me you have seizures." Mitch answered while standing up.

"It never came up." Riley replied. "I wasn't about to say 'oh by the way I have seizures' to Ian while he had those wires in front of me."

Mitch hid his smile.

"What stops those seizures?"

"I have some pills, but it's at my apartment."

Mitch nodded.

"Why'd you ask?" Riley frowned.

"I need you alive and healthy, that's why. You're no good to me dead." Sighed Mitch.

"I agree completly with you on that one." Riley nodded but stiffened as Mitch rose. Damn his big sarcastic mouth. Would Mitch become another Ian? He shuddered at that thought. If Mitch noticed he ignored it and dialed for Ben's number.

Ben and Abi were in the middle of breaking the big news to his parents, Ryan and Sarah when the phone rang. He picked it up at the second ring.

"Ben?" Mitch asked.

"What?" Ben snapped and then paused. "How's Riley?" The others straightened up.

"That is why I called. He had a seizure."

Ben stood up sharply.

"Is he..." He felt sick.

"He's fine but I am having bit of a problem here. He is not well enough to travel and we cannot leave him alone. I do not trust my men enough follow my orders on this so we are stuck here. But he needs his pills from his apartment."

"Pills?"

"I'll let you talk to him."

Mitch handed Riley the phone.

"Ben?" Riley sat up weakly but eagerly. Ben sucked in his breath.

"Riley...How are you feeling?" He asked slowly.

"Considering the circumstances, great." Riely smiled.

"Why didn't you tell me about the seizures?"

Riley sighed.

"To be honest I was afraid that you'd leave me behind on your treasure hunts if you kew about it cause you couldn't risk taking me along. I didn't want that."

"You still should have told me Riley. I mean what if it happened during one of our hunts? Like with the Templers quest?"

"I know...I know, I normally take my pills with me..." Riley's voice sighed as he trailed of. "The one time I forgot was when I needed them the most."

Ben sighed.

"Where are the pills?"

"In my medican cabnet. It's prescribed. It's little and blue." Riley paused. "Ben?"

"Yeah Riley?"

"You're...you're not mad at me for not telling you are you?"

Ben's eyes widened at that.

"What? No of course not...I just didn't like hearing about your seizures from your brother. I felt like I was left in the dark that's all. I mean I didn't even know you had a brother and sister and then on top of that you have some health problems. I just...I was begining to feel like I didn't know you at all."

Riley remained silent.

"You knew the important stuff." He said finally. "Stuff I hardly tell anyone else you knew. I should have told you about Ryan and Sarah, I know, I don't know why I didn't...to be honest it was mostly because it never came up. You..."

"Never asked you about your family." Ben finished. "And for that I'm sorry. I should have been less self involved. If I had shown more interest..."

"You've showed more interest in me then anyone other then my family has Ben. Don't put yourself down." Riley snapped. "Look, I don't want yout do anything stupid and get yourself hurt or something. I'll be fine without the pills..."

Mitch snatched the phone then and Riley groaned.

"I suggest you forget that last remark Ben." Mitch snapped. Ben sighed.

"You couldn't have least let us finish talking?"

"No I couldn't.I'm kind of pressed for time. I would really like to get back to the treasure hunting. So here's the deal. You pick up the pills and call me when you get them. I'll let you know where to drop them off, got it?"

Ben rubbed his forehead.

"Ben?" Mitch pressed.

"Yeah, I got it." Ben snapped and hung up the phone. He sighed and started to walk away.

"Wait, Ben where are you going?" Abi asked.

"Back to Riley's apartment." Ben answered leaving all of them alone, stunned, and very unsure of what just happened.

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**I know, short, but I'll make the next ones longer-I promise!**


	18. Chapter 18

**Thanks for all the great reviews! They make my day everytime :)

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**

Riley lookd at Mitch.

"You know, if you let me go I'm sure that Ben won't follow you." He tried rather desperatly. Mitch shook his head and gave a small smile.

"It's in his nature. Ben can't resist a hunt."

"I'm sure he could if he tried." Riley said hopefully. Mitch sighed.

"Good try though." He added as he walked into the kitchen.

"Dammit." Riley muttered as he stared at the pillow in front of him. He rolled his head over weakly and stared at the door. It was just so close. But he could hardly move a muscle, let alone run. And yet it was there, taunting him-almost as if on purpose. Mitch knew of this weakness of course or he would never have put Riley so near the door. He sighed. Was this ever going to get out of this?

* * *

Mitch talked quietly into the phone in the ktichen, making sure Poole couldn't hear him.

"So, what do you have on them?" He asked. One of his men sighed on the other end.

"It's not that easy, spying through the windows."

"Have you managed to but the video cams in the rooms?"

"Yes, I did that before they came back to the place. I do have something that might find your interest. To make sure Gates does what is told."

"Yes?" Mitch's interest rose. He was worried that because of how he was treating Riley Ben might have thought he was growing soft.

"That girl he's with. Abigail I think her name is..."

"Abigale Chase, what about her?"

"She's pregnant."

Mitch paused before a smile slowly grew on his face.

* * *

Ben walked into Riley's apartment complex. He felt weird about doing this while his friend wasn't there.

"Where'd you say the pills was?" Abi asked softly as his parents waited in the car.

"He said that they were in his medicine cabnet." Ben mumbled and hurried towards the kitchen.

"You shouldn't be blaming yourself Ben. It's not like you knew about the seizures."

"Exactly, I didn't know about them. As his best friend I should have."

Abi sighed.

"I'm going to use his bathroom for a moment." She said quietly and he nodded, his mind purely on the medican.

Quietly Abigale walked towards Riley's bathroom. Riley had to be returned to them, she thought. If he wasn't she realized that Ben would never be the same again.

As she sat up from the toilet and went to wash her hands when the glass from the window above broke. Before she knew what was happening hands wrapped around her throat and her mouth. Instead of being able to scream for help all she could do was struggle as the drug swept over her body, making it completly limp, as the kidnapper slowly dragged her out of the window and into a car while speeding off towards Mitch's place, leaving Ben in the kitchen and totally unawhere of what just happened...

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**Short I know, but too good of a place not to stop at :)**


	19. Chapter 19

**Please review!**

Riley sat up when he saw two men come into the house, his body growing tenser by the minute. Horror filled his eyes as he saw Abigail Chase being dragged, clearly unconcious, on the floor and to the basement where he was once at.

"What? What's going on?"

"I just want to make certain that Ben knows we're serious." Remarked Mitch as he came out to the kitchen.

"I think he got the message when you kidnapped me." Riley pointed out. "What do you need Abi for?"

"I've been growing soft on you, Mr. Poole. More so than I should have. I don't want Gates to get the wrong idea."

"Look, you have me. Ben will do whatever you say, I'm sure of it."

"Well I'm not." Snapped Mitch and turned to his men. "Take her to the basement."

They nodded and quietly obeyed his orders.

"Look, I'll talk to Ben. Make it clear he has to cooperate. Just let her go. She has no part in this!" Riley said desperatly and Mitch shook his head.

"Sorry, kid. I have to." He picked up the phone and dialed Riley's phone in the apartment.

Ben stopped and stared at the phone ringining. Frowning he picked it up.

"Hello?"

"Good, you're still here Mr.Gates." Mitch said smoothly.

Ben stopped and turned around, his face white.

"Riley..."

"Is fine, there is someone else you should worry about though."

Ben's face paled even more.

"Abigail!" He called in the empty house. "Abigail!"

"You won't find her Ben. We've made sure of it.

"Why damn it? Why when I was cooperating..."

"I've been too soft Benjamin."

"Torturing Riley was too soft?" Ben spat in disgust.

"I have to make sure you'll do what you're told. I don't want you thinking you can just get away with things because I happen to like my hostage."

Ben paused. This was the first time he truly realized that Mitch liked Riley, unlike Ian. No wonder Riley was still alive.

"And now I'm certain you won't do anything stupid if I hold the woman who is carrying your unborn child. When I get the pills I don't want any funny buisness."

"I want to speak to Abigail."

"I'm the one in charge here, Ben," Mitch snapped. "You do what I say."

Ben swallowed, feeling like his entire world was disapearing.

"At...At least let me talk to Riley."

"When we met up to get the pills I'll let you talk to him."

"And since you have Abi there's really no point in..."

"Nice try, I'm not giving up Riley Ben," Mitch smiled. "I have to give you props on trying though."

"I've got the pills." sighed Ben. "Let's get this over with."

"Getting tired of the hunt Ben?" Mused Mitch.

"Yes," Ben said simply. "If I had known this was going to be like this...I just want my family back. I want Riley and Abi."

"And you'll get them if you cooperate."

Mitch then instructed to meet under a nearby bridge in 10 minutes.

His knuckles were white as Ben drove to the bridge, his entire body shaking. This had to be a bad dream. He'd wake up soon and have Abi next to him in bed and have Riley yelling at him down the wall to wake up.

He stared at the van on the side of the road and pulled over. Mitch was patiently waiting for him.

"The pills," Mitch said firmly. He stared at Wilkison.

"Riley," he replied with a snarl. Mitch smiled and opened up the van door where Riley was weakly laying in. Ben hurried over to him.

"Riley, are you okay?"

"Ben they have Abi," Riley's voice was weak and tired. "I tried to convince them not to but they..."

"I know, Riley, It's not your fault," Ben assured him.

Riley shuddered.

"Here," Ben poured a couple of pills into Riley's pale hands and gave him some bottled water. Quickly, and with relief, Riley took it. Mitch snatched the bottle of pills away from them. More leverage.

"You've seen him, now go," He snapped.

"Just a few more minutes," Ben begged. His voice was shaking. Riley had never heard his voice shake like that before.

"GO! Before I'm forced to take action and your girlfriend and unborn baby pays the price."

Riley's eyes widened.

"Baby..."his voice trailed off in horror. "What? Ben, did he just say..." But Mitch slammed the door in his face, inturrupting him. Ben backed up slowly.

He glared at Mtich.

"When this is over.."

"I know," Mitch inturrupted with a odd sort of smile. "You'll have your revenge."

Gates nodded and watched Mitch get into the van and have it pull away. Feeling completly lost and alone Ben slowly headed back to his car and drove towards his father's house in hoping of finding a new plan...


	20. Chapter 20

**Sorry for not updating my Riley stories. I've been busy, plus those horrible writers block! But I haven't forgotten about them.

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**

Mitch sighed as he gave Riley his pills and a glass of water.

"I'm sorry things have to be like this," he said. Riley scoffed.

"Right. That's just like if a seriel killer confessed to his crimes and than was like 'I'm _really _sorry about it.' afterwards."

Mitch shook his head.

"You really _do _have a smart mouth, don't you?"

Riley shrugged.

"Just a natural born gift."

Mitch stared out the window.

"Even if you don't beleive me, I really am sorry."

Riley sighed.

"If you want me to believe you than release Abby. She's innocent."

"I can't. I've gotten too soft with you."

"So you think you'll be able to shoot a pregnant woman?"

Mitch flinched at that.

"Why is it so important to clear your family's name? I mean it's the past. You're just making things worse for people in the present for what...a label?"

"It's more than a label. Ben should understand better than anyone. His family was labeled as crazy. He wanted to clear his family's name too."

"Yeah, but he never _kidnapped _anyone!" Riley snapped.

Mitch opened his mouth and closed it.

Riley turned away, his mind formulating an escape plan. But now it was an escape plan with two. When they got home Mich had him taken to the basement where Abby was tied up. She watched as they tied Riley to the chair.

"Riley," she breathed with relief. Tears filled her eyes as the men left. "When I didn't see you, I at first thought that you were...dead.."

"It takes a lot more than this to get rid of Riley Poole." Riley's lips turned into a smile. He stared at her. "Is the baby all right?"

"Yeah, it's fine...wait, how did you know about the baby?"

"It sort of slipped when Ben was giving the pills to Mitch." Riley looked sheepish. Abby sighed.

"We just found out ourselves," she admitted. "And here I thought it was a blessing during a dark time."

"It is," Riley assured her.

"Really?" She gave him a sad smile. "And here I was, thinking it was just a nuisance now."

Riley frowned.

"So wait, I'm a nuisance too?"

Her eyes widened.

"What? No of course not!"

He shrugged.

"Of course I am. I'm probably more trouble than I am help. I bet Ben could have found the treasure a lot quicker without me."

"You're wrong," she diagreed strongly. "You don't know how important you are to Ben. As as partner and as a friend. You should see how messed up he's been since your capture."

Riley shook his head.

"No one has ever really gave a damn about me. My parents hated me, especially my old man. I learned at a very young age that the only person you could count on was you. Than I met Ben..."

She smiled and he groaned.

"That was lame. Cheesy and lame. And corny."

"No it wasn't," she interjected quickly. "Well, maybe it was," she admitted. "But life's sometimes cheesy and corny. Did you ever think about that? And I'd pick corny over pain any day of the week."

He stared at her for a few moments.

"I'm going to get you out of here," he assured her firmly. "I'm going to get you back to Ben."

"I can take care of myself, Ri," she said stubbornly. He smiled

"Really? Because you look pretty tied up at the moment."

She laughed and than groaned.

"That was bad, even for you." Just talking with Riley, being in the same room as him, made her realize how much she had missed him during the last few days of hell.

He opened his mouth to say something when suddenly his face got a funny look. She straightned up the best she good, worry filling her eyes. Suddenly he started to shake, and foam appeared to be coming out of his mouth-choking him.

"Someone help!" She screamed and rocked her chair, trying to get lose. "Help, please! Somebody!"

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**Yes, I do leave off at mean cliffies, don't I?**


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